If you're not a fan of outdoor hockey, then you will not like the NHL's plans for next season. Beginning with the 2013-14 season, the outdoor game concept the League has cashed in on will expand dramatically.

During TSN's "Insider Trading" segment Tuesday, Darren Dreger reported that the league will begin a stadium series next season featuring six outdoor games, starting with the Jan. 1, 2014, Winter Classic between the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. The other five match-ups will be:

Contracts are to be finalized, according to ESPN's Katie Strang, but that's just a matter of paperwork.

Yes, the New York Rangers will be in not only one, but two outdoor games in the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII, which will be held Feb. 2 at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey.

With all 30 teams clamoring to host or be part of a Winter Classic, creating these other dates on the NHL calendar allows the "Teams Not Regularly Featured on NBC" to get in a game over time. Beyond next season, expect to see places like Minnesota, Colorado and St. Louis play host. Everyone gets involved, the NHL keeps teams happy and keeps growing revenues from an event rakes in so much money.

But will this kill the novelty of what the Winter Classic has provided? Considering every level of hockey has done such an event, with the number of these growing annually since the Penguins and Buffalo Sabres played in the very first Winter Classic in 2008, the novelty might have already worn off.

We just hope the NHL's ice guru, Dan Craig, will get a few extra weeks vacation for this new workload.

This pisses me off every year.But I do like the idea of more than one game...maybe one for each conference or something...but 6 outdoor games? And the Rangers playing in two in the same week??? For a total of 3 outdoor games for them since they started the WC?? What the hell? That's just stupid. By giving the Rangers their 3rd WC, the NHL is pretty much giving a big F*CK YOU to the other deserving teams who have yet to play in one.

The novelty will be gone real quick. And I don't think the novelty is gone yet...not even close. But doing 6 in one season will kill the coolness factor real quick. It would have been nice for the Blues to get in one before they watered it down.

How in the f*ck is the Penguins vs Blackhawks a better rivalry than the Blues vs Blackhawks? Sure, the Penguins are an elite team, along with the Hawks, but you'd think they'd do a historic and bitter rivalry before they simply matchup two elite teams just because they are good. And it's not like the Blues are a slouch...they are a cup contender...so...

The Senators vs. Canucks?? I assume this is the Heritage Classic that is now a part of the Stadium Series. Otherwise, who gives a crap in the states?

You watch...when we finally get one, we'll play the Wild. Talk about a stupid matchup.

Anaheim and the Kings outdoors in California? So what if it is January. It will still be 70+ degrees outside. That's going to be an engineering challenge.

Yet a winter city, like St Louis, is excluded again???

They've already played a preseason outdoor NHL game in 1991 in Las Vegas at night back when Gretzky was in LA.A higher temperature isn't a huge factor because the substance they use doesn't melt at 32 degrees...it's not real ice. It melts at a much higher temp...plus they can keep it colder because of the refrigeration tubes running under the rink. I think rain is a much bigger problem. But, with that said, I would assume the game in LA would be held at night to take advantage of the cooler temps. And I think it is usually in the 50's in January in LA.

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The very first good thing Bettman had ever done "Winter Classic" and now he's gone and ruined it.

What a f*%#ing tool.

$$$$$$$$$$$

Couldn't have said it better when the writer asked the rhetorical questions "will the novelty wear off?" Loud and clear: YES. So with 6 (count 'em SIX) outdoor games now, what the hell is so special about the Winter Classic? Absolutely nothing. And it's still epically retarded they schedule it on January 1st trying to compete with college bowl games and everyone above age 18 being hungover.

This whole thing is just pissing me off now, and for many of the same reasons as you all have articulated.

The very first good thing Bettman had ever done "Winter Classic" and now he's gone and ruined it.

What a f*%#ing tool.

$$$$$$$$$$$

Couldn't have said it better when the writer asked the rhetorical questions "will the novelty wear off?" Loud and clear: YES. So with 6 (count 'em SIX) outdoor games now, what the hell is so special about the Winter Classic? Absolutely nothing. And it's still epically retarded they schedule it on January 1st trying to compete with college bowl games and everyone above age 18 being hungover.

This whole thing is just pissing me off now, and for many of the same reasons as you all have articulated.

I don't give two craps about most college bowl games. I don't think I watched one minute of a bowl game this year.I enjoy the fact the Winter Classic has been on Jan. 1st. I'm off work, so I just kick back and enjoy the game.I really wish they had done two games in one day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. That would have been great. A full day of outdoor hockey. But this 6 game crap spread out over two months is stupid.

The very first good thing Bettman had ever done "Winter Classic" and now he's gone and ruined it.

What a f*%#ing tool.

$$$$$$$$$$$

Couldn't have said it better when the writer asked the rhetorical questions "will the novelty wear off?" Loud and clear: YES. So with 6 (count 'em SIX) outdoor games now, what the hell is so special about the Winter Classic? Absolutely nothing. And it's still epically retarded they schedule it on January 1st trying to compete with college bowl games and everyone above age 18 being hungover.

This whole thing is just pissing me off now, and for many of the same reasons as you all have articulated.

I don't give two craps about most college bowl games. I don't think I watched one minute of a bowl game this year.I enjoy the fact the Winter Classic has been on Jan. 1st. I'm off work, so I just kick back and enjoy the game.I really wish they had done two games in one day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. That would have been great. A full day of outdoor hockey. But this 6 game crap spread out over two months is stupid.

But since they regularly have to shuffle the start time due to weather... its not a ri$k they want to take

This is beyond stupid bullshit. Why doesn't the league just come out and admit they only give a frank about a handful of teams? What practically gets proven nightly by the piss poor officiating is officially confirmed by the constant ass kissing of teams like Detroit, the Rangers and the franking Penguins. I hope they get unseasonably warm days and the ice melts for all of these games.

The very first good thing Bettman had ever done "Winter Classic" and now he's gone and ruined it.

What a f*%#ing tool.

$$$$$$$$$$$

Couldn't have said it better when the writer asked the rhetorical questions "will the novelty wear off?" Loud and clear: YES. So with 6 (count 'em SIX) outdoor games now, what the hell is so special about the Winter Classic? Absolutely nothing. And it's still epically retarded they schedule it on January 1st trying to compete with college bowl games and everyone above age 18 being hungover.

This whole thing is just pissing me off now, and for many of the same reasons as you all have articulated.

I don't give two craps about most college bowl games. I don't think I watched one minute of a bowl game this year.I enjoy the fact the Winter Classic has been on Jan. 1st. I'm off work, so I just kick back and enjoy the game.I really wish they had done two games in one day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. That would have been great. A full day of outdoor hockey. But this 6 game crap spread out over two months is stupid.

But since they regularly have to shuffle the start time due to weather... its not a ri$k they want to take

Agreed on both fronts....Two games on the first would be great. Should be one in Canada and one in the states........but sseagle is right. With the danger of weather influencing start times, it's just to risky to schedule two games on the same day with a national viewing audience.

The very first good thing Bettman had ever done "Winter Classic" and now he's gone and ruined it.

What a f*%#ing tool.

$$$$$$$$$$$

Couldn't have said it better when the writer asked the rhetorical questions "will the novelty wear off?" Loud and clear: YES. So with 6 (count 'em SIX) outdoor games now, what the hell is so special about the Winter Classic? Absolutely nothing. And it's still epically retarded they schedule it on January 1st trying to compete with college bowl games and everyone above age 18 being hungover.

This whole thing is just pissing me off now, and for many of the same reasons as you all have articulated.

I don't give two craps about most college bowl games. I don't think I watched one minute of a bowl game this year.I enjoy the fact the Winter Classic has been on Jan. 1st. I'm off work, so I just kick back and enjoy the game.I really wish they had done two games in one day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. That would have been great. A full day of outdoor hockey. But this 6 game crap spread out over two months is stupid.

But since they regularly have to shuffle the start time due to weather... its not a ri$k they want to take

Agreed on both fronts....Two games on the first would be great. Should be one in Canada and one in the states........but sseagle is right. With the danger of weather influencing start times, it's just to risky to schedule two games on the same day with a national viewing audience.

The very first good thing Bettman had ever done "Winter Classic" and now he's gone and ruined it.

What a f*%#ing tool.

$$$$$$$$$$$

Couldn't have said it better when the writer asked the rhetorical questions "will the novelty wear off?" Loud and clear: YES. So with 6 (count 'em SIX) outdoor games now, what the hell is so special about the Winter Classic? Absolutely nothing. And it's still epically retarded they schedule it on January 1st trying to compete with college bowl games and everyone above age 18 being hungover.

This whole thing is just pissing me off now, and for many of the same reasons as you all have articulated.

I don't give two craps about most college bowl games. I don't think I watched one minute of a bowl game this year.I enjoy the fact the Winter Classic has been on Jan. 1st. I'm off work, so I just kick back and enjoy the game.I really wish they had done two games in one day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. That would have been great. A full day of outdoor hockey. But this 6 game crap spread out over two months is stupid.

Doesn't matter if you do; the majority of the American sports-watching public of January 1st almost certainly does. Or more to the point, more about college bowl games than an outdoor hockey game.

The very first good thing Bettman had ever done "Winter Classic" and now he's gone and ruined it.

What a f*%#ing tool.

$$$$$$$$$$$

Couldn't have said it better when the writer asked the rhetorical questions "will the novelty wear off?" Loud and clear: YES. So with 6 (count 'em SIX) outdoor games now, what the hell is so special about the Winter Classic? Absolutely nothing. And it's still epically retarded they schedule it on January 1st trying to compete with college bowl games and everyone above age 18 being hungover.

This whole thing is just pissing me off now, and for many of the same reasons as you all have articulated.

I don't give two craps about most college bowl games. I don't think I watched one minute of a bowl game this year.I enjoy the fact the Winter Classic has been on Jan. 1st. I'm off work, so I just kick back and enjoy the game.I really wish they had done two games in one day. One in the afternoon and one in the evening. That would have been great. A full day of outdoor hockey. But this 6 game crap spread out over two months is stupid.

Doesn't matter if you do; the majority of the American sports-watching public of January 1st almost certainly does. Or more to the point, more about college bowl games than an outdoor hockey game.

Outdoor hockey will return to Chicago when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Pittsburgh Penguins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 1, 2014, at Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, the NHL announced Wednesday.

The event is part of the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series, in which the NHL plans to play a number of regular-season games in outdoor facilities during the 2013-14 season. The NHL intends to announce more outdoor regular-season games in the coming weeks.Ticket information, news and offers

Further details on this special NHL event, including information on ticketing for season-ticket holders for each team and national broadcast information will be released shortly. Fans interested in more information on ticketing, further news and special offers around the event should register right now to receive more information at nhl.com/2014Chicago.

Official fan packages for all NHL signature events will be available from Global Event Forum, the Official NHL Events Fan Package Partner. For more information please visit nhl.com/fanpackages.

"Our fans and our teams love outdoor games and we are thrilled the 2014 Coors Light NHL Stadium Series will present a number of these experiences to a large number of our fans in a variety of National Hockey League markets," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "The Chicago game, at Soldier Field, will be a match-up of two recent Stanley Cup champions at a landmark stadium. We thank the Blackhawks and Penguins, Coors Light, Soldier Field and everyone involved in what will be a memorable, exciting and fun event."

The Soldier Field game will mark the second time the Blackhawks will host an outdoor regular-season game. At the 2009 Winter Classic, 40,818 packed Wrigley Field, plus thousands of other fans filled the famed rooftop seats across the street from the ballpark, to watch the Detroit Red Wings beat the Blackhawks 6-4.

"The Chicago Blackhawks are privileged to be included in the National Hockey League's Stadium Series," Blackhawks president and CEO John McDonough said. "Hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins at iconic Soldier Field promises to be a unique experience for our organization and our fans."

The Penguins will be taking part in their third outdoor game. They beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in a shootout in the first Winter Classic, in 2008 at Ralph Wilson Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, and in 2011 lost 3-1 to the Washington Capitals in a game played at Heinz Field, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"The Penguins are excited to be selected for the NHL Stadium Series in Chicago, and it will be a special honor for our players to be able to skate at Soldier Field," David Morehouse, CEO and president of the Penguins, said. "Soldier Field is one of the iconic venues in our country, a stadium that's filled with so much sports history. We look forward to writing a new chapter with the Blackhawks on March 1."

This will be second time hockey has been played at Soldier Field, which opened in 1924. On Feb. 17, 52,051 watched four college teams play a doubleheader dubbed the Hockey City Classic -- Notre Dame beat Miami University in one game, and the University of Wisconsin beat the University of Minnesota in the second.

"Returning hockey to where it originated, in the cold elements of an outdoor rink, by playing at Soldier Field in Chicago will no doubt be a game the players will have circled on next season's schedule," said Mathieu Schneider, NHLPA Special Assistant to the Executive Director. "This will be a great event for hockey fans in Chicago and Pittsburgh, and one that they won't soon forget."

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